Mavericks 114 Wizards 87: Game 33 Recap

The Lead
The Mavs finish 2014 in style by dismantling one of the East's best teams.

Box Score

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Ellis, 20
Rebounds: Chandler, 12
Assists: Rondo, Barea, 5
+-: Parsons, Ellis, +20
Wizards
Points: Wall, Humphries, 11
Rebounds: Humphries, 7
Assists: Wall, 8
+-: Blair, Porter, Temple, -2

Game Ball
Monta Ellis
20 points, 4 steals, 8-15 FG

X-Factor
Richard Jefferson
14 points, 4 rebounds, 6-9 FG, 2-2 3PT

Goat Horns
Bradley Beal
10 points, 4-14 FG, 3 TO

Play of the Game
In the third quarter a patented Chandler Parsons pump-fake leads to an and-one opportunity on a off-balance shot that was nearly a three, but Parsons had a foot on the line.

Stat of the Game
Turnovers were a huge part in the blowout as the Mavs only turned it over 7 times, including 0 in the second half. Meanwhile the Wizards turned it over 23 times.

Of Note

• The win was the Mavericks 10th straight over the Wizards, their longest active streak against any opponent.
• There were a combined 56 fast break points between the teams: 31 for the Mavs, 25 for Washington.   
• Every single Maverick scored including Raymond Felton and Dwight Powell who scored their first points for Dallas.
• Dirk was 9-10 from the line coming off a game against OKC where he was 12-12. These are his only two games so far this season where he was in double-digit free throw attempts.
• Charlie Villanueva continued his strong play recently, scoring 14 points in 12 minutes on 6-8 shooting.

Grades
Nowitzki: B+
Parsons: A-
Chandler: A-
Ellis: A
Rondo: A-
Villanueva: A+
Harris: B+
Smith: A
Jefferson: A+
Barea: A-

Quote of Note
 "I just hate watching basketball from the sideline. That's just always been my nature. I just get prepared and don't think about it, go out there and play and worry about the injury afterward. It's not a pride thing. It's just something I love doing."
Monta on playing after spraining his ankle in Sunday's game.

Tweet of the Night
 

Wizards staffer I overheard discussing Mavs on way out of AAC: "That's the best team we've seen in the West."
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) December 31, 2014

Next Up
The Mavericks (23-10) begin 2015 with Rajon Rondo's return to Boston on Friday to face his former Celtics (10-18) teammates. 

Mavericks vs. Wizards: Game 33 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (22-10) vs. Washington Wizards (22-8)
Tues., Dec. 30, 7:30, at the AAC
TV: FSSW, NBALP
Line: Mavs by 5

2014-15 Matchups

Nov. 19 at Washington
Mavs 105 Wizards 102

All-Time Series
Mavs 36 Wizards 30

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 112.1 (2nd)
Def. Rating: 104.8 (20th)
Point Differential: +6.3
Wizards

Offense: 104.4 (14th)
Defense: 99.2 (4th)
Point Differential: +3.9

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Wizards
PG: John Wall
SG: Bradley Beal
SF: Paul Pierce
PF: Nene
C: Marcin Gortat

Team Leaders

Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 20.7
RPG: Chandler, 11.9
APG: Rondo, 8.4
PER: Chandler, 22.2
Win Shares: Chandler, 4.6
Wizards
PPG: Wall, 17.8
RPG: Gortat, 8.3
APG: Wall, 10.3
PER: Wall, 21.0
Win Shares: Wall, 3.3

Of Note

• Tyson Chandler who missed Sunday's game with back spasms is listed as questionable, but is expected to play.
• Monta Ellis, who sprained his ankle on Sunday, expects to play.
• The Mavericks have beaten Washington  9 straight times, their longest active streak vs. any opponent.
• Rajon Rondo has at least 7 assists in all five games he has played for Dallas, and has scored at least 13 points in 4 games in a row.
• The Wizards are in the midst of an extremely tough five game road trip against the three Texas teams, OKC and New Orleans. They defeated Houston in the first game of the trip on Monday.
• The Mavs are 12-3 against the East, with all three losses coming at home.

Mavericks 112 Thunder 107: Game 32 Recap

The Lead
With Chandler out, the Mavs go small to beat OKC led by 30 points from center Dirk.

Box Score 

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Nowitzki, 30
Rebounds: Smith, 8
Assists: Rondo, 7
+-: Rondo, +17
Thunder
Points: Ibaka, 26
Rebounds: Ibaka, 10
Assists: Westbrook, 9
+-: Perkins, +4

Game Ball
Dirk Nowitzki
30 points, 5 rebounds, 8-13 FG, 2-3 3PT, 12-12 FT

X-Factor
Chandler Parsons
26 points, 5 rebounds, 10-16 FG, 5-9 3PT

Goat Horns
Russell Westbrook
18 points, 5 TO, 6-23 FG

Play of the Game
With 8 and a half minutes left in the 4th quarter, Rajon Rondo throws a cross-court  bounce pass to Charlie Villanueva who buries a three to put the Mavs up by two.

Stat of the Game
Dirk, in his first start at center since 2010 scores 30 points, the most by a Mavs starting center since he scored 34 against Sacramento in Feb. 2005.

Of Note

• With Tyson Chandler out with back spasms, the Mavs started an extra small starting five with J.J. Barea joining Rondo and Monta in the backcourt.
• Monta Ellis left the game with a sprained left ankle with 1:57 to go. After the game he told reporters "I'm not missing no games".
• The 18 points by Russell Westbrook were the fewest he has scored this season in a game he played start-to-finish. It also ended a streak of 11 straight 25+ point games for him.
• The win gives Dallas a three game winning streak over the Thunder. Prior to that they dropped 11 in a row to OKC including the playoffs.
• Serge Ibaka was red-hot for the Thunder scoring 26 points on 11-14 shooting, however he only took one shot in the 4th quarter.
• Raymond Felton made his season debut, playing a scoreless 1:13.

Grades
Nowitzki: A+
Parsons: A
Ellis: B-
Rondo: A-
Barea: B
Smith: A-
Harris: B-
Villanueva: B
Jefferson: B-

Quote of Note
"I took a nap earlier today and I had a dream that I was coaching against a Don Nelson team. Then I got up and I checked my phone and there was a text from Casey Smith saying Tyson is out tonight. It just got me thinking that we needed to try something different against this team because athletically and strength-wise we just don't match up. It was a bit of a whimsical thing but I talked to Dirk about it and he was fine with it so we just took a shot with it."
Rick Carlisle on what inspired him to go small.

Tweet of the Night
 

I would love to see Dirk and Larry Bird have a shootout like that Jordan/Bird McDonald’s ad.
— Leigh Ellis (@LeighEllis) December 29, 2014

Next Up
Another tough home game awaits Tuesday, as the 22-10 Mavericks take on John Wall and the 21-8 Wizards. 

Mavericks vs. Thunder: Game 32 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (21-10) at Oklahoma City Thunder (15-16)
Sun. Dec. 28, 6:30 at the AAC
TV: FSSW, NBALP
Line:

2013-14 Matchups
Nov. 6 at OKC
Thunder 107 Mavs 93
Mar. 16 at OKC
Mavs 109 Thunder 86
Mar. 25 at Dallas
Mavs 128 Thunder 119 (OT)

All-Time Series
Sonics/Thunder 72 Mavs 67

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 112.3 (1st)
Def. Rating: 104.8 (21st)
Point Differential: +6.4
Thunder
Offense: 101.4 (21st)
Defense: 99.7 (5th)
Point Differential: +2.1

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Thunder
PG: Russell Westbrook
SG: Andre Roberson
SF: Kevin Durant or Perry Jones III
PF: Serge Ibaka
C: Steven Adams

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 20.7
RPG: Chandler, 11.9
APG: Rondo, 8.8
PER: Chandler, 22.3
Win Shares: Chandler, 4.6
Thunder
PPG: Westbrook, 28.6
RPG: Adams, 7.5
APG: Westbrook, 7.2
PER: Davis, 18.7
Win Shares: Westbrook, 33.3

Of Note

• Kevin Durant is questionable for the Thunder after missing the last 5 games due to a sprained ankle. He has only played in 9 games all year.
• After losing 11 games in a row to the Thunder including the playoffs, the Mavs took the final two meeting last year against OKC.
• After passing Elvin Hayes for 8th on the NBA's all-time scoring list, Dirk is now 87 points behind Moses Malone for 7th place.
• Russell Westbrook has scored at least 20 points in all 16 games he has played start-to-finish this year. He has scored at least 26 points in 11 games in a row.
• Rajon Rondo had 20 points, 12 assists and 9 rebounds for the Celtics in a Nov. 12 game against the Thunder.

Mavericks 102 Lakers 98: Game 31 Recap

The Lead
Led by a season high in scoring from Rondo, the Mavs get by the Kobe-less Lakers as Dirk moves another notch up the all-time scoring list.

Box Score 

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Rondo, 21
Rebounds: Chandler, 12
Assists: Ellis, Rondo, 7
+-: Chandler, +11
Lakers
Points: Boozer, 18
Rebounds: Davis, 11
Assists: Lin, 7
+-: Boozer, +7

Game Ball
Rajon Rondo
21 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 10-17 FG

X-Factor
Charlie Villanueva
13 points, 4 blocks, 5-9 FG, 3-6 3PT

Goat Horns
Wesley Johnson
11 points, 3-14 FG

Play of the Game
With a jumper on the first possession of the third quarter,  Dirk Nowitzki passed Elvin Hayes for 8th on the NBA's all-time scoring list with a career total currently of 27,322 points.

Stat of the Game
The Mavs take of advantage of one of the league's worst defenses to score 56 points in the paint compared to the Lakers total of only 30.

Of Note

• Kobe Bryant missed his third straight game for the Lakers due to rest his sore body.
• Dirk and Monta Ellis both missed shootaround due to illness, but both were in the starting lineup.
• The Mavs have taken five in a row over the Lakers, their longest ever winning streak against the L.A.
• Rebounding allowed the Lakers to stay close, as they outrebounded Dallas 63-40 including 24 offensive rebounds.
• The 21 points for Rajon Rondo was a season high. He scored 20 points for the Celtics against OKC on November 12th.

Grades
Nowitzki: B
Parsons: B+
Chandler: A
Ellis: A-
Rondo: A
Harris: B
Villanueva: A
Smith: C+
Jefferson: B-
Barea: C

Quote of Note
"I told him I was going to catch him. That's going to be tough."
Dirk on what he told Kobe postgame after Bryant congratulated him for passing Elivn Hayes.

Tweet of the Night

Tyson, walking off floor with his son and Dirk, to his son: "Say congratulations to him! He's one of the all-time greats."
— Bobby Karalla (@bobbykaralla) December 27, 2014

Next Up
The Mavericks (21-10) stay at home for a tough challenge from Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder (15-16), who may have MVP Kevin Durant ready to return to action.

Mavericks vs. Lakers: Game 31 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (20-10) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (9-20)
Fri. Dec. 26, 7:30 at the AAC
TV: FSSW, NBALP
Line: Mavs by 12.5

2014-15 Matchups
Nov. 21 at Dallas
Mavs 140 Lakers 106

All-Time Series
Lakers 104 Mavs 36

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 112.7 (1st)
Def. Rating: 105.0 (21st)
Point Differential: +6.4
Lakers
Offense: 104.0 (15th)
Defense: 110.2 (29th)
Point Differential: -6.9

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Lakers
PG: Ronnie Price
SG: Wayne Ellington
SF: Wesley Johnson
PF: Ed Davis
C: Jordan Hill

Team Leaders

Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 20.9
RPG: Chandler, 11.9
APG: Rondo, 9.3
PER: Chandler, 22.4
Win Shares: Chandler, 4.5
Lakers
PPG: Bryant, 24.6
RPG: Hill, 8.3
APG: Bryant, Lin, 4.9
PER: Davis, 18.7
Win Shares: Davis, 2.0

Of Note

• Kobe Bryant, who has missed the Lakers last two games due to rest and general soreness, is unlikely to play. 
• Dirk is 6 points away from passing Elvin Hayes for 8th on the NBA's all-time scoring list.
• The Mavs four game winning streak against the Lakers is their longest ever against them. They have won the four games by an average of 19.5 points.
• The Mavericks are looking to avoid their first three game losing streak of the season. They had only one such streak all of last last year.
• Coming off a stretch of playing the best basketball of his season, Chandler Parsons has only scored 11 points on 5-15 shooting in the last two games.
• Dallas is 7-0 against Western Conference teams that are outside of the top eight in the conference. 

Update: Dirk and Monta both missed shootaround due to illness and their status for tonight's game is to be determined.

Suns 124 Mavericks 115: Game 30 Recap

The Lead
The turnover bug dooms the Mavs as they drop their second game in a row.

Box Score

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Nowitzki, Chandler, 22
Rebounds: Chandler, 14
Assists: Rondo, 8
+-: Jefferson, +4
Suns
Points: Dragic, 25
Rebounds: Bledsoe, 10
Assists: Bledsoe, 11
+-: Mark. Morris, +11

Game Ball
Eric Bledsoe
16 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds

X-Factor
Charlie Villanueva
18 points, 7-13 FG, 4-9 3PT

Goat Horns
7 points, 3-9 FG, 6 TO

Stat of the Game
The Mavs turn the ball over 20 times leading to 28 Phoenix points off those miscues.

Of Note

• Dirk scored 22 points, leaving him 6 points shy of passing Elvin Hayes on the NBA's all-time scoring list.
• In his third game for the Mavs, Rajon Rondo totaled 13 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds but also 5 turnovers.
• Dallas has allowed 242 points in two losses to the Suns this year.
• Tyson Chandler scored 22 points on only 8 shot attempts, going 6-8 from the floor and 10-12 from the line.
• The Mavericks managed a 70 point second half, unfortunately the Suns scored 71.

Grades
Nowitzki: B+
Parsons: D
Chandler: A
Ellis: C-
Rondo: C+
Villanueva; A
Jefferson: C
Harris: D+
Smith: B+
Barea: B

Quote of Note
"Yeah, I feel like I haven't made a three since preseason."
Dirk on making 2 threes out of 3 attempts

Tweet of the Night
 

Rajon Rondo will learn soon that Dirk does not jump.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) December 24, 2014

Next Up
After a Christmas break the Mavericks (20-10) will get back to action at home on Friday against Kobe and the Lakers (9-19)

Mavericks at Suns: Game 30 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (20-9) at. Phoenix Suns (15-14)
Tues. Dec. 23, 8:00 at the US Airways Center
TV: Ch. 21, NBALP
Line: Suns by 1.5


20-14-15 Matchups
Dec. 5 at Dallas
Suns 118 Mavs 106


All-Time Series
Suns 75 Mavs 66

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 112.9 (1st)
Def. Rating: 104.7 (20th)
Point Differential: +7.0
Suns
Offense: 105.3 (12th)
Defense: 103.5 (15th)
Point Differential: +1.2

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Suns
PG: Eric Bledsoe
SG: Goran Dragic
SF: P.J. Tucker
PF: Markieff Morris
C: Alex Len

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 21.1
RPG: Chandler, 11.9
APG: Rondo, 10.0
PER: Chandler, 22.0
Win Shares: Chandler, 4.2
Suns
PPG: Dragic, 16.0
RPG: Mark. Morris, 6.2
APG: Bledsoe, 5.6
PER: Thomas, 21.0
Win Shares: Bledsoe, 2.4


Of Note

• Despite uneven play at home of late, the Mavs have won 7 out of 8 on the road.
• Meanwhile despite a winning road record, the Suns are only 6-7 at home.
• Since Nov. 29, Charlie Villanueva has shot 9-14 from three point range.
• Rajon Rondo was actually drafted by the Suns 21th overall in 2006, but his rights were traded to the Celtics on draft day.
• The Mavs must do a better job defensively against the Suns backcourt of Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe. The pair combined for 47 points, 20 assists on 16-28 shooting in the Suns win in Dallas on Dec. 5.
  

Mavericks vs. Hawks: Game 29 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (20-8) at Atlanta Hawks (19-7)
Mon. Dec. 22, 7:39 at the AAC
TV: FSSW, NBALP
Line: Mavs by 6.5

2013-14 Matchups
Oct. 30 at Dallas
Mavs 118 Hawks 109
Nov. 29 at Atlanta
Hawks 88 Mavs 87

All-Time Series
Hawks 34 Mavs 32

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 113.3 (1st)
Def. Rating: 104.8 (21st)
Point Differential: +7.3
Hawks
Offense: 106.8 (7th)
Defense: 100.6 (7th)
Point Differential: +6.1

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Hawks
PG: Jeff Teague
SG: Kyle Korver
SF: DeMarre Carroll
PF: Paul Millsap
C: Al Horford


Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 21.3
RPG: Chandler, 11.6
APG: Rondo, 10.7
PER: Chandler, 22.2
Win Shares: Chandler, 4.1
Hawks
PPG: Teague, 16.8
RPG: Millsap, 7.8
APG: Teague, 7.0
PER: Teague, 21.2
Win Shares: Korver, 3.3

Of Note

• The Mavs have won 12 out of their last 15 home games against the Hawks.
• The Hawks are currently tied for 2nd place in the East and have won 12 out of their last 13.
• Jeff Teague is questionable for Atlanta, after missing the last two games with a strained hamstring.
• With Rajon Rondo and Dwight Powell now on the roster, the Mavs have a player wearing every number between 1 and 9 (h/t Mark Followill).
• Kyle Korver is putting up historic shooting numbers so far this season: shooting .519% from the field, .539% on threes and .963% from the line. 

Mavericks 99 Spurs 93: Game 28 Recap

The Lead
In Rondo's debut the short-handed Spurs stifle the Mavs offense for much of the night, but in the clutch once again it was all about Monta.

Box Score

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Ellis, 38
Rebounds: Chandler, 14
Assists: Rondo, 9
+-: Rondo, +17
Spurs
Points: Belinelli, 21
Rebounds: Baynes, 10
Assists: Diaw, 4
+-: Anderson, +11

Game Ball
Monta Ellis
38 points, 4 steals, 15-23 FG, 5-6 3PT

X Factor
Rajon Rondo
6 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds, 4 charges drawn

Goat Horns
Boris Diaw
8 points, 4-16 FG, 5 TO

Play of the Game
With the Mavs up 2 with a minute and a half left, Monta Ellis steal of Marco Belinelli leads to a fast break missed layup from Rajon Rondo that was tipped in by Chandler Parsons. These were the onnly 2 of the last 13 Mav points that Monta didn't score.

Stat of the Game
Monta now has 15 ten point quarters so far this season including four in the 4th quarter.

Of Note

• Rondo played 34 minutes in his Mavs debut, filling up the box score despite going 3-11 from the field.
• The Spurs coming off back-to-back triple overtime games and already without Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard due to injuries, rested Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Danny Green and Tiago Splitter.
• The Mavs snapped a 10 game regular season losing streak to the Spurs.
• Dirk had a rough shooting game going only 4-14 from the field.
• The Spurs were a perfect 26-26 from the line. However they were only 3-13 on threes.
• Every Mav but newly acquired Dwight Powell saw action including Ricky Ledo who saw his first action of the season.

Grades
Nowitzki: C-
Parsons: B+
Chandler: A-
Ellis: A+
Rondo: B+
Smith: D
Jefferson: C
Harris: A-

Quote of Note
"It was exciting. The best part about it was that we got the win tonight. It was a tough grind win, but we fought with it, stayed with it and got the win."
Rondo on his first game as a Maverick

They Tweeted It

"And that, son... is how you have it all." pic.twitter.com/KfRg2v6edn
— Jason Gallagher (@jga41agher) December 21, 2014

Next Up
The Mavs (20-8) remain at home on Monday to take on one of the East's best teams; the red-hot Atlanta Hawks (19-7).

Rajon Rondo Press Conference Quotes

Some quotes from the introductory press conference of new Mavericks Rajon Rondo and Dwight Powell

Rondo's opening statement
"Obviously I’m very excited to be here. Coming from a great situation in Boston, I’m very thankful for all the things they did for me and the fan base. But I’m ready to start a new chapter here with the Dallas Mavericks and I’m very excited to be here."

Rondo on his new team
"They’re obviously a championship-caliber team, the players they have on their roster, the style of play, the coach is a guy that doesn’t control much of the game – he lets the players make the plays. Everybody is on chemistry and intelligence from what I’ve seen and what I’ve played against."


Rondo on his defense
"It’s the dirty part of the game that (some) guys don’t take pride in. I take pride in defense. And a guy like Tyson Chandler behind me is going to make me look a lot better than I probably am."

Rondo on playing with Dirk
 "I'm excited to play with Dirk. He's still got a lot left in his tank, and he's -- if not the best power forward shooting big in the league. That makes my job a lot easier. Guys aren't going to be able to show as much. I know we had problems showing off of Dirk. He creates problems with himself offensively because of his shooting, his touch."

Powell on his game
"I think I'm athletic, I can shoot the ball. I take pride in my defense, try to guard multiple positions, rebound the ball. For the most part, just bring heart, bring effort. In the position I'm at right now, having been traded a couple of times and landing here, I'm really looking forward to the opportunity, but I also want to work as hard as I can to stay here and show my values, show my worth and contribute to this team."

Mavericks vs. Spurs: Game 28 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (19-8) vs. San Antonio Spurs (17-10)
Sat. Dec. 20, 7:30 at the AAC
TV: Ch. 21, NBALP
Line:

2014-15 Matchups
Oct. 28 at San Antonio
Spurs 101 Mavs 100

All-Time Series
Spurs 97 Mavs 64

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 113.6 (1st)
Def. Rating: 105.1 (20th)
Point Differential: +7.4
Spurs
Offense: 105.5 (10th)
Defense: 98.6 (3rd)
Point Differential: +5.6

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Spurs
PG: Cory Joseph
SG: Danny Green
SF: Kyle Anderson
PF: Boris Diaw
C: Matt Bonner

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 20.6
RPG: Chandler, 11.5
APG: Ellis, 4.7
PER: Chandler, 22.5
Win Shares: Chandler, 3.9
Spurs
PPG: Parker, 16.0
RPG: Duncan, 11.0
APG: Parker, 5.3
PER: Duncan, 22.1
Win Shares: Green, 2.7


Of Note

• The big story of course is the Mavs debut of Rajon Rondo. Rondo, who was acquired in a trade from Boston on Thrursday arrived in Dallas on Friday afternoon. Both Rondo and Rick Carlisle said that Rondo will play in Saturday's game.
• Who will play for the Spurs is very much in the air. After a triple overtime game on Wednesday and amazingly another triple overtime Friday night game against Portland (both losses), Gregg Popovich might elect to rest key players including Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili. Kawhi Leonard (bruised right hand) and Tony Parker (strained left hamstring) have already been ruled out with injuries.
• The Mavs have lost 10 straight regular season games to the Spurs including a one point loss on opening night. They did of course beat the Spurs three times in the two teams playoff series last season.
• With Brandan Wright shipped out to Boston, expect Greg Smith to get most of the backup center minutes. Smith has only played 68 minutes in 14 games so far this year.
• As for Rondo, in his last four games at the AAC he has averaged 14.3 points, 12.3 assists and 10 rebounds per game.
  

 

Rondo to the Mavericks is Happening!

According to multiple reports including Marc Stein and Adrian Wojanrowski, the Mavericks and Celtics have agreed on a trade that will send four-time all-star Rajon Rondo to Dallas.

The Mavs will receive Rondo and rookie forward Dwight Powell in exchange for Brandan Wright, Jae Crowder, Jameer Nelson, a 2015 first round pick and a future second round pick.
Rondo who will fill the Mavs most glaring need for starting  point guard is averaging 8.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and a league leading 10.8 assists. He will be an upgrade definitively on the perimeter, a major weakness for Dallas so far.
According to Wojanrowski, Rondo has made clear that he would be inclined to sign an extension with the Mavs in the summer when he becomes a free agent.
Now with Wright gone the Mavs will most surely need to find another big man behind Tyson Chandler, with Greg Smith being the only backup center currently on the roster.
Whatever the case the Mavs current starting five of Rondo, Ellis, Parsons, Dirk and Chandler should the give the Mavs a better chance to compete in a Western Conference that is as tough as ever.

Mavericks talking trade for Rondo

According to both Marc Stein of ESPN.com and Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, the Mavericks are in active discussions with the Celtics to acquire star point guard Rajon Rondo.
The trade would probably include Brandan Wright, multiple draft picks including a first rounder and other cap filler. Rondo is a free agent at the end of the year but the Mavs could be given permission to try to work on a contract extenstion for Rondo.
Other teams said to be interested in trading for Rondo include Houston, New York, the Lakers and Sacramento. Time will tell if the Mavs have enough to push a trade over the finish line.  

Mavericks 117 Pistons 106: Game 27 Recap

The Lead
The Mavs take care of road business again led by a season high from Parsons and too much Monta.

Box Score 

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Parsons, 32
Rebounds: Nowitzki, 10
Assists: Harris, 9
+-: Harris, +17
Pistons
Points: Drummond, 19
Rebounds: Drummond, 24
Assists: Jennings, 7
+-: Singler, +9

Game Ball
Chandler Parsons
32 points, 7 rebounds, 10-17 FG, 4-6 3PT, 8-9 FT

X-Factor
Devin Harris
8 points, 9 assists, 3 steals, 2-3 3PT

Goat Horns
Greg Monroe
4 points, 1-5 FG

Play of the Game
With the Mavs lead trimmed down to 5 points from as high as 17, Chandler Parsons makes a patented pump fake to free himself up for a three that put Dallas up 8 with 2:07 to go.

Stat of the Game
Despite Andre Drummond grabbing 24 rebounds, the Mavs still manage to outrebound Detroit 45-42 led by Dirk's 10 boards.

Of Note

• The Mavs won their 12th straight road game over an Eastern Conference foe. They are 12-2 in total against the East this year.
• Dallas also improved to a 4-0 record on the second night of a road back-to-back this year.
• Parsons' 32 points were a season high and two off his career high.
• Dirk hopefully is snapping out of his three pointer slump. He was 2-4 from deep tonight including a dagger to put Dallas up 11 with 1:33 to go.
• Tyson Chandler set a season high with 4 assists, all in the first half.
• Ho, hum Monta Ellis has 25 points and 8 assists on 11-20 shooting.

Grades
Nowitzki: A
Parsons: A+
Chandler: A
Ellis: A
Nelson: D
Harris: A
Aminu: B
Wright: A
Jefferson: C
Barea: B
Crowder: C

Quote of Note
"The more I play with these guys, the more comfortable I feel. I'm just finding my rhythm right now, and we're starting to roll."
Chandler Parsons

They Tweeted It

DAT PUMP FAKE DOE
— Bryan Gutierrez (@BallinWithBryan) December 18, 2014

Next Up
It will be another opportunity to beat one of the top teams in the West on Saturday, when the Mavericks (19-8) welcome the Spurs (17-9) to the AAC for the first time this season.

Mavericks at Pistons: Game 27 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (18-8) at Detroit Pistons (5-20)
Wed. Dec. 17, 6:30 at the Palace of Auburn Hills
TV: FFSW, NBALP
Line: Mavs by 6 1/2


2013-14 Matchups
Jan. 26 at Dallas
Mavs 116 Pistons 106
Feb. 22 at Detroit
Mavs 113 Pistons 102

All-Time Series
Pistons 36 Mavs 30

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 113.4 (1st)
Def. Rating: 105.0 (22nd)
Point Differential: +7.2
Pistons
Offense: 101.2 (22nd)
Defense: 96.6 (29th)
Point Differential: -6.5


Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Jameer Nelson
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Pistons
PG: Brandon Jennings
SG: Kentavios Caldwell-Pope
SF: Kyle Singler
PF: Josh Smith
C: Andre Drummond

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 20.5
RPG: Chandler, 11.6
APG: Ellis, 4.6
PER: Wright, 26.2
Win Shares: Chandler, 3.8
Pistons
PPG: Monroe, 15.0
RPG: Drummond, 11.9
APG: Jennings, 6.2
PER: Drummond, Monroe, 18.1
Win Shares: Drummond, 1.6

Of Note

• The Mavs have won 5 in a row and 10 out of 11 against the Pistons.
• By holding the Knicks to 87 points, the  Mavericks broke a streak of 11 games in a row of allowing at least 100 points.
• Charlie Villanueva returns to Detroit after spending the previous 5 seasons playing for the Pistons. He averaged 9.5 points per game in 256 games in a Pistons uniform.
• J.J. Barea now leads the league with an assist to turnover ratio of 5 to 1 (95 assists, 19 turnovers).
• Dallas is 4-1 this season on the second night of back-to-backs. They are 3-0 on the second night of  road-road back-to-backs. 

Mavericks 107 Knicks 87: Game 26 Recap

The Lead
Mavs hot start carries them to a wire-to-wire win and another road victory over the East.

Box Score 

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Nowitzki, 16
Rebounds: Chandler, 14
Assists: Parsons, Ellis, 6
+-: Ellis, +24
Knicks
Points: Anthony, 26
Rebounds: Acy, Anthony, Stoudemire, Larkin, 5
Assists: Prigioni, 9
+-: Prigioni, +1

Game Ball
Tyson Chandler
8 points, 14 rebounds, 4-5 FG

X-Factor
J.J. Barea
10 points, 5 assists, 4-7 FG, 2-2 3PT

Goat Horns
Jose Calderon
3 points, 1-6 FG, 1-5 3PT

Play of the Game
On the Mavs first possession of the game Monta Ellis finds Tyson Chandler for an alley-oop dunk, setting the tone for the triumphant return of Tyson to the Big Apple.

Stat of the Game
The Mavericks have now won 11 road straight road games against the East dating back to last season. Their last loss came on February 11 in Charlotte to the then Bobcats.

Of Note

• The Mavs led by as much as 19 in the first quarter. Things were so bad for the Knicks that Derek Fisher replaced his entire starting five with 5 bench players.
• Chandler Parsons returned after missing the Golden St. game due to back soreness. He had 13 points and 6 assists.
• Dirk, Monta  and Parsons all sat out the entire fourth quarter on the front end of a back-to-back.
• After he hit 7 threes against them in Dallas, the Mavs limited former teammate Jose Calderon to just one three and 3 points. Meanwhile, Samuel Dalembert was scoreless in only 6 minutes of action.
• The win was the 6th this year by the Mavericks of at least 20 points. They had 3 such wins all last season.
• Dallas was plus +30 on three pointers as the were 15-33 from deep while the Knicks were 5-21.

Grades
Nowitzki: A-
Parsons: A
Chandler: A
Ellis: A-
Nelson: B
Harris: A
Jefferson: B+
Wright: A-
Aminu: B+
Barea: A

Quote of Note
"I wouldn't say there was any vindication, my whole thing is just I want to have a successful year. I feel like I've got a great opportunity with this team and I want to help lead this team to something special."
Tyson Chandler on his return to NYC

They Tweeted It
 

Dirk is treating the Knicks like Germany treated Brazil at the World Cup.
— Frank Isola (@FisolaNYDN) December 17, 2014

Next Up
The Mavericks (18-8) look for another East road win against the Stan Van Gundy led Pistons (5-20), tomorrow at 6:30.

Mavericks at Knicks: Game 26 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (17-8) vs. New York Knicks (5-21)
Tues. Dec. 16, 7:00 at Madison Square Garden
TV: FSSW, NBALP
Line: Mavs by 7


2014-15 Matchups
Mavs 109 Knicks 102 (OT)



All-Time Series
Mavs 35 Knicks 32

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 113.4 (1st)
Def. Rating: 105.5 (22nd)
Point Differential: +6.7
Knicks
Offense: 101.2 (22nd)
Defense: 107.1 (26th)
Point Differential: -5.4


Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Jameer Nelson
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Knicks
PG: Jose Calderon
SG: Tim Hardaway Jr.
SF: Carmelo Anthony
PF: Quincy Acy
C: Amare Stoudemire

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 20.7
RPG: Chandler, 11.5
APG: Ellis, 4.5
PER: Wright, 26.6
Win Shares: Chandler, 3.6
Knicks
PPG: Anthony, 23.3
RPG: Stoudemire, 7.5
APG: Calderon, 4.2
PER: Anthony, 21.0
Win Shares: Anthony, 2.0

Of Note

• Tyson Chandler makes his return to MSG after being traded from the Knicks this off-season. In the Mavs overtime win over New York in November he has 17 points and 25 rebounds.
• Chandler Parsons says he expects to play after missing Saturday's loss to Golden State with a sore lower back. 
• The Knicks will be without Iman Shumpert who has a dislocated shoulder and possibly J.R. Smith who did not play on Sunday due to plantar fasciitis. 
• The Mavs have won 6 out of 8 and 9 out of 12 at the Garden including last year's 110-108 victory on Dirk's buzzer-beater.
• Dallas is 6-0 on the road against the East this year.

Warriors 105 Mavericks 98: Game 25 Recap

The Lead
Mavs can't overcome big early deficit against the league's top team as the Warriors when their 15th straight.

Box Score 

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Ellis, 24
Rebounds: Jefferson, 13
Assists: Ellis, Nelson, 5
+-: Wright, +6
Warriors
Points: Curry, 29
Rebounds: Barnes, 9
Asissts: Curry, 8
+-: Ezeli, +14

Game Ball
Stephen Curry
29 points, 8 assists, 9-22 FG, 3-11 3PT, 8-9 FT

X-Factor
Draymond Green
20 points, 8 rebounds, 5-8 FG, 8-10 FT

Goat Horns
Jae Crowder and Al-Farouq Aminu
Combinded for 2 points on 1-9 FG and 0-6 3PT

Play of the Game
Midway through the third quarter, Marreese Speights loses his shoe. When Steph Curry tries to toss it back to him, Tyson Chandler swats the shoe away out of bounds.

Stat of the Game
The Mavericks were outscored 39-18 in the first quarter. Even though they outscore the Warriors by 14 in the last three quarters they never seriously threatened to take the lead.

Of Note

• Chandler Parsons missed the game with a sore back. Richard Jefferson started in his place and recorded a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds.
• Andrew Bogut (right knee tendinitis) and David Lee (strained right hamstring) sat out for Golden State.
• The Mavericks shot only 40% from the field and 5-25 on threes. The Warriors have yet to allow an opponent to shoot over 50% this season or shoot over 45% during their 15 game winning streak.
• Dirk who has struggled shooting threes lately did not attempt a shot from behind the arc. He did go 11-20 on twos for 23 points.
• Dallas is now 0-5 against the top 6 teams in the West.

Grades
Nowitzki: B+
Jefferson: A-
Chandler: B
Ellis: B-
Nelson: D+
Crowder: D
Harris: C-
Wright: B+
Barea; D
Aminu: D-

Quote of Note
 "They hit us with a lot of shot-making and a lot of good defense. We just didn't play well, and once we got hit back on our heels, we picked it up. You dig out of a 21-point hole in the first 12 minutes, it's just hard to do against a team that good. We've got to be all there from the very beginning until the very end. The first quarter did us in."
Rick Carlisle on the first quarter.

They Tweeted It
 

For double ot, all the players shoes are placed at center court and they have to run out and put them on when the whistle blows #HoopIdea
— netw3rk (@netw3rk) December 13, 2014

Next Up
The Mavericks (17-8) have two days off before the head east Tuesday to face the floundering Knicks (5-20) at the Garden.

Mavericks vs. Warriors: Game 25 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (17-7) at Golden State Warriors (19-2)
Sat. Dec. 13, 1:00 at the AAC
TV: FSSW, NBALP
Line: Mavs by 2

2013-14 Matchups
Nov. 27 at Dallas
Mavericks 103 Warriors 99
Dec. 11 at Oakland
Warriors 95 Mavs 93
Mar. 11 at Oakland
Warriors 108 Mavs 85
Apr. 1 at Dallas
Warriors 122 Mavs 120 (OT)

All-Time Series
Mavericks 78 Warriors 62

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 114.1 (1st)
Def. Rating: 105.5 (23rd)
Point Differential: +7.3
Warriors
Offense: 107.3 (6th)
Defense: 94.5 (1st)
Point Differential: +11.2

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Jameer Nelson
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Warriors
PG: Stephen Curry
SG: Klay Thompson
SF: Harrison Barnes
PF: Draymond Green
C: Festus Ezeli

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 20.6
RPG: Chandler, 11.5
APG: Ellis, 4.5
PER: Wright, 26.4
Win Shares: Chandler, 3.5
Warriors
PPG: Curry, 23.0
RPG: Bogut, 9.3
APG: Curry, 7.7
PER: Curry, 26.9
Win Shares: Curry, 4.2

Of Note

• The Warriors come to town with a league best record of 19-2 under first-year coach Steve Kerr. They have won a franchise record 14 straight games.
• The Mavs league leading offense will face a strong test in the Warriors #1 defense on a per posssesion basis.
• Chandler Parsons (sore lower back) and Jameer Nelson (sore right shoulder) are questionable for Dallas.
• Andrew Bogut (right knee tendinitis) and David Lee (strained right hamstring) are out for Golden State.
• Since being traded from Golden St. in 2012, Monta Ellis has averaged 18.7 points and 5.1 assists in 7 games vs. his former team.
• In four games against the Mavs last year, Stephen Curry averaged 23.8 points, 8.0 assists, shot .471% on threes and hit two game-winning shots in the final seconds.

Mavericks 112 Pelicans 107: Game 24 Recap

The Lead
Monta bounces back in a big way, scoring 13 straight in crunch time to help the Mavs take down New Orleans.

Box Score 

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Ellis, 26
Rebounds: Nowitzki, Chandler, 6
Assists: Ellis, 5
+-: Harris, +9
Pelicans
Points: Davis, 31
Rebounds: Asik, 15
Assists: Holiday, 10
+-: Evans, Holiday, +3

Game Ball
Monta Ellis
26 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 11-19 FG

X-Factor
Devin Harris
20 points, 4 assists, 8-13 FG, 3-7 3PT

Goat Horns
Tyreke Evans
8 points, 4-11 FG

Play of the Game
Monta Ellis hits a driving jump shot with 22.9 seconds left to give the Mavs a four point lead. It was 2 of his 13 straight points that closed the game out for Dallas.

Stat of the Game
For the second time this month, Monta Ellis, Dirk Nowitzki, Chandler Parsons and Devin Harris all score at least 20 points in the same game. The foursome also accomplished the feat against the Bulls on Dec. 2.


Of Note

• Jameer Nelson was a late scratch with back spasms. J.J. Barea started in his place.
• The Mavs won despite getting outrebounded 45-29 including allowing 16 rebounds on the offensive glass to the Pelicans.
• Chandler Parsons scored at least 20 points for the third straight, shooting over 50% from the field in all three contests.
• Anthony Davis has 62 points and 26 rebounds in two games against the Mavericks this year.
• Parsons was bothered by back spasms, leaving for the locker room late in the 1st half but returned for the start of the 2nd half.
• Former Mav Gal Mekel had 4 points in 9 minutes on 2-6 shooting for New Orleans.

Grades
Nowitzki: A-
Parsons: A
Chandler: B
Ellis: A
Barea: C-
Aminu: B-
Harris: A
Wright: B-
Crowder: B-
Jefferson: A-

Quote of Note
"I feel great about it. My teammates do a great job of setting me up very well in the fourth quarter. I love that situation. I understand it. I'll be ready for it when the time comes."
Monta on stepping up in the clutch

They Tweeted It

Monta has ALWAYS competed and played at a high level. people taking notice now with him on a winning team. #RespectRec
— Kendall Marshall (@KButter5) December 11, 2014

Next Up
The Mavericks (17-7) will welcome to town the Golden State Warriors (19-2), winners of 14 in a row and owners of the best record in the league for a rare Saturday matinee at 1:00.

Mavericks vs. Pelicans: Game 24 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (16-7) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (10-10)
Wed. Dec. 10, 7:00 at the AAC
TV: FSSW, ESPN
Line: Mavs by 7

2014-15 Matchups
Nov. 1 at New Orleans
Mavs 109 Pelicans 104

All-Time Series
Mavs 49 Pelicans 23

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 113.9 (1st)
Def. Rating: 105.2 (22nd)
Point Differential: +7.4
Pelicans
Offense: 105.7 (9th)
Defense: 105.8 (23rd)
Point Differential: +0.7

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Jameer Nelson
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Pelicans
PG: Jrue Holiday
SG: Tyreke Evans
SF: Luke Babbitt
PF:Anthony Davis
C: Omer Asik

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 20.3
RPG: Chandler, 11.7
APG: Ellis, 4.5
PER: Wright, 26.8
Win Shares: Chandler, 3.4
Pelicans
PPG: Davis, 24.8
RPG: Asik, 10.7
APG: Holiday, 6.6
PER: Davis, 32.7
Win Shares: Davis, 4.4


Of Note

• The Mavs have won 8 straight against New Orleans.
• Monta Ellis is expected to play despite battling a sore right elbow.
• Anthony Davis' PER of 32.7 would break the NBA single-season record set by Michael Jordan of 31.7.
• Chandler Parsons is averaging 22.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and shooting 50.6% FG and 45.0% 3PT in December.
• Eric Gordon is out indefinitely for the Pelicans with a torn labrum.
  

Grizzlies 114 Mavericks 105: Game 23 Recap

The Lead
Despite season highs from Parsons and Nelson, Mavs can't keep pace with the Grizz as Dirk and Monta shoot 5-28 combined.

Box Score

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Parsons, 30
Rebounds: Chandler, 9
Assists: Nowitzki, Nelson, 4
+-: Chandler, +1
Grizzlies
Points: Gasol, 30
Rebounds: Randolph, 13
Assists: Gasol, 6
+-: Randolph, Conley, +14

Game Balls
Mavs: Chandler Parsons
30 points, 7 rebounds, 10-18 FG, 6-10 3PT
Grizzlies: Marc Gasol
30 points, 6 assists, 9-14 FG, 12-13 FT

X-Factor
Beno Urdih
10 points, 4 assists, 4-7 FG

Play of the Game
Tayshuan Prince hit a corner three with 2:47 to go to put Memphis up 7 and pretty much squashed any hope of a Dallas comeback. 

Stat of the Game
The normally sure-handed Mavs turned it over 16 times, while Memphis coughed it up only 5 times.

Of Note

• Monta Ellis, playing with a sore right elbow was held to only 2 points on 1-11 shooting.
• The Mavs tied a team regular season record with 18 made threes in 40 attempts despite Dirk going 0-6.
• Like early in the season, the third quarter was the Mavs undoing as a 6 point halftime lead turned into a 13 point deficit.
• Vince Carter was only 1-7 from the field in his first game against Dallas since signing with Memphis.
• Jameer Nelson had a season high of 18, all of which were in the first half.
• Parsons has 58 points in his last two games on 21-32 shooting.

Grades 
Nowitzki: D
Parsons: A+
Chandler: B
Ellis: D
Nelson: A
Wright: B
Harris: B
Crowder: A
Barea: A-

Quote of Note
"Most guys in this league wouldn’t even attempt to play."
Rick Carlisle on  Monta fighting through his injury.

They Tweeted It

First time in Parsons’ career where he’s had consecutive games of scoring over 25.
— Bryan Gutierrez (@BallinWithBryan) December 10, 2014

Next Up
The Mavericks (16-7) return home for the second night of a back-to-back against Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans (10-10) at 7:00.
 

Mavericks at Grizzlies: Game 23 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (16-6) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (16-4)
Tues. Dec. 9, 7:00 at the FedEx Forum
TV: FSSW, NBATV
Line: Grizzlies by 3.5


2013-14 Matchups
Nov. 2 at Dallas
Mavs 111 Grizzlies 99
Dec. 18 at Dallas
Mavs 105 Grizzlies 91
Feb. 5 at Memphis
Mavs 110 Grizzlies 96
Apr. 16 at Memphis
Grizzlies 106 Mavs 105 (OT)

All-Time Series
Mavs 55 Grizzlies 19

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 114.0 (1st)
Def. Rating: 104.3 (18th)
Point Differential: +8.1
Grizzlies
Offense: 106.5 (8th)
Defense: 99.4 (5th)
Point Differential: +6.9


Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Jameer Nelson
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Grizzlies
PG: Mike Conley
SG: Courtney Lee
SF: Tony Allen
PF: Zach Randolph
C: Marc Gasol

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 21.2
RPG: Chandler, 11.9
APG: Ellis, 4.6
PER: Wright, 27.3
Win Shares: Chandler, 3.4
Grizzlies
PPG: Gasol, 19.0
RPG: Randolph, 11.0
APG: Conley, 6.3
PER: Gasol, 22.6
Win Shares: Gasol, 2.9

Of Note

• The Mavs scored over 100 points in all four meetings last year against the Grizzlies stout defense and only lost the regular season finale by one point in overtime, in a game that decided 7th place in West.
• The Mavericks win percentage against the Grizzlies of 74.3% is their second best against any franchise, behind only New Orleans.
• The Mavs will see Vince Carter for the first time in a Grizzlies uniform. The former Mav has struggled with his new team only averaging 5.3 points per game on 33.3% shooting.
• Dallas will look for their first win of the season against one of the top 8 teams in West. They are 0-4 so far with losses to San Antonio, Houston, Portland and Phoenix. They are 16-2 against the rest of the league.
• Tyson Chandler ranks seventh in the league in ESPN's real plus-minus stat behind only Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis, Tim Duncan and James Harden.

Mavericks 125 Bucks 102: Game 22 Recap

The Lead
The Mavericks have their offensive groove working all night as they dispatch the Bucks for the second time this week.

Box Score

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Parsons, 28
Rebounds: Chandler, Wright, 7
Assists: Barea, 9
+-: Harris, +25
Bucks
Points: Antetokounmpo, 18
Rebounds: Sanders, 9
Assists: Knight, 5
+-: Marshall, -1

Game Ball
Chandler Parsons
28 points, 5 rebounds, 11-14 FG, 4-6 3PT

X-Factor
Jae Crowder
9 points, 3 assists, 3 steals

Goat Horns
Khris Middleton
2 points, 1-5 FG, 4 turnovers

Play of the Game
With the Mavs up by 6 in the third quarter, Jae Crowder steals an offensive rebound away from Giannis Antetokounmpo which leads to an open three for Chandler Parsons.


Stat of the Game
The Run-DMC trio of Dirk, Monta and Chandler combine to go 26-39 from the field, leading the way for a Dallas offense that shot 58.3%.


Of Note

• With the win the Mavs are now 10-2 against the East.
• All Mavericks players were a plus for the game expect Jameer Nelson who was -11.
• Dirk bounced back from a 2-10 shooting night against Phoenix by shooting 8-12.
• J.J. Barea had 9 assists to 0 turnovers.
• Brandan Wright was active defensively with 4 steals and 3 blocks.

Grades
Nowitzki: A
Parsons: A+
Chandler: A-
Ellis: A-
Nelson: C
Harris: B+
Crowder: A
Wright: A
Barea: A
Aminu: B
Jefferson: A

Quote of Note
"We do a lot of ab work in the weight room. (laughs) We're a veteran team. We understand there's going to be runs in this league. We just have to have stick with it and get defensive stops."
Monta Ellis on being able to bounce back after taking a "body blow" against the Suns.

They Tweeted It
 

So, it's safe to say @tysonchandler is the #MavsSelfieKing. 📷👑👌 pic.twitter.com/8noTfMz4AH
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) December 8, 2014

Next Up
The Mavericks (16-6) begin a tough week of action with their first visit of the year to Memphis to face the impressive Grizzlies (16-4), Tuesday at 7:00. 
 

Mavericks vs. Bucks: Game 22 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (15-6) at Milwaukee Bucks (11-10)
Su. Dec. 7, 6:30 at the AAC
TV: FSSW, NBALP
Line: Mavs by 9


2014-15 Matchups
Dec. 3 at Milwaukee
Mavs 107 Bucks 105

All-Time Series
Bucks 37 Mavs 29

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 113.2 (1st)
Def. Rating: 104.4 (18th)
Point Differential: +7.4
Bucks
Offense: 101.4 (21st)
Defense: 100.3 (7th)
Point Differential: -0.1

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Jameer Nelson
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Bucks
PG: Brandon Knight
SG: O.J. Mayo
SF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
PF: Jabari Parker
C: Larry Sanders

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 21.3
RPG: Chandler, 12.1
APG: Ellis, 4.6
PER: Wright, 26.8
Win Shares: Chandler, 3.3
Bucks
PPG: Knight, 17.7
RPG: Sanders, 6.3
APG: Knight, 5.8
PER: Knight, 19.7
Win Shares: Knight, 2.1

Of Note

• Monta Ellis is averaging 28.4 points per game over the last five games.
• Tyson Chandler has six straight double-digit rebound games. He is averaging 16.7 rebounds per game in those games.
• Dirk is only shooting 16-51 from the field in last three games and is 3-13 on threes.
• Friday's loss to the Suns was the first time all season the Mavs lost when scoring 105 points or more. They were 15-0 previously.
• The Bucks bounced back from their buzzer-beating loss to the Mavs on Wednesday, with a 109-85 thrashing of the Heat Friday, led by 20 points from Kendall Marshall. 

Suns 118 Mavericks 106: Game 21 Recap

The Lead
From start to finish the Mavs found no way to stop the Suns potent guard-dominated offense.

Box Score

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Ellis, 33
Rebounds: Chandler, 18
Assists: Nelson, Barea, 3
+-: Jefferson, +4
Suns
Points: Dragic, 28
Rebounds: Mark. Morris, 10
Assists: Dragic, 13
+-: Mark. Moris, +24

Game Ball
Goran Dragic
28 points, 13 assists, 10-15 FG

X-Factor
Markieff Morris
22 points, 10 rebounds, 8-15 FG

Goat Horns
Jameer Nelson
5 points, 2-8 FG, 1-4 3PT

Stat of the Game
The Suns exploded out of the gate for 40 first quarter points as the Mavs would try to play catch-up the rest of the game but never got closer than five points.

Of Note

• The Mavs five game win streak was snapped.
• Dallas had only 13 assists on 40 made field goals.
• The Suns made 13-26 threes including 10 of their first 13.
• The Mavs were only 4-19 on threes.
•  Isaiah Thomas missed his fifth straight game for Phoenix with an injured ankle.

Grades
Nowitzki: D
Parsons: C
Chandler: A
Ellis: A
Nelson: D
Aminu: C-
Harris: C
Jefferson: C
Wright: B+
Barea: C+

Quote of Note
 "Any team is going to have issues if you're not in a stance and you're not helping each other. Our thing from day one has been we've got to do it collectively. It's as simple as that. We've got to throw out body in front of people. If one body isn't enough, you've got to have two bodies there and make them make an extra pass. You've got to make them make one more pass. Paint-drive layups and paint-drive kick-out wide-open 3s are going to get you beat most nights in this league."
Rick Carlisle on the defense.

They Tweeted It
 

Mark Cuban won't admit it, but he's gotta be wondering how much it'd take to sign Goran Dragic this summer.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) December 6, 2014

Next Up
For the second time in three games the Mavericks (15-6) will face the Milwaukee Bucks (11-10), Sunday at 6:30 at the AAC.